Making an early start last Thursday Allan Browse ventured out from Limeburner’s and after sounding around anchored up over at the Quarries. Setting a spread of baits it was not until 8.30am that Allan’s rod buckled over with a 6.25kg snapper attached to the other end. Fishing on Allan’s next rod sprang to life at just before lunch, this time Allan boated a 5kg snapper.

Clifton Springs
Other anglers fishing nearby found a steady supply of bait with reasonable numbers of squid in close at Hermsly Rd with size 3 jigs the most productive. Trying something different I trolled deep diving hardbody lures off Clifton Springs Saturday afternoon in the hope of enticing a snapper or two although unsuccessful in boating a snapper I did boat some large flathead to 55cm as a by catch.

St Leonard's
Moving around to St Leonards and the pier provided anglers with tommy ruff for those using maggots suspended under a float as well as tommy ruff the odd squid was also taken by those casting jigs. St Leonards Pier is one to keep an eye on with this time of year normally seeing large snapper taken from the end of the pier at night.

Queenscliff
Queenscliff kept anglers busy with good quantities of squid over at the Bight and further around to the mouth of Swan Bay. Anglers fishing Queenscliff noted that those working the cleaner water caught greater numbers of fish.

Ocean Grove / Barwon Heads
Once again those going to the effort of heading out of Ocean Grove / Barwon Heads in 40 to 50 meters of water encountered snapper to 6kg by fishing larger baits such whole squid. Inside the estuary and up around the sheep wash section bream were banked as well as some surprising sized whiting to 42cm both the better quality bream and whiting were taken on live bass yabbies. Anglers fishing the lower section of the estuary at night with larger live bait such as mullet managed to take mulloway to 8kg.

Western District
The Western District continues to provide world class Southern Bluefin Tuna fishing. Portland and Port Macdonald were the most productive location this past week with report of a record 174kgBluefin taken on Saturday afternoon out of Port Macdonald.

Dave & Alex Haygarth took a run to the Hopkins River early last week in search of bream and estuary perch. Fishing landbased Dave & Alex banked estuary perch to 40cm using both hardbody lures and soft plastics. Wading out just from the bank allowed the pair to reach fish sitting just on the drop off.

Lake Bullen Merri
Last week the Chinook Salmon in Bullen Merri really switch on with bait fishing the most effective method. Power bait rigged on a running sinker rig cast from the bank worked a treat with Chinook Salmon to 2.5kg banked. Those fishing from the boat found Potter’s Point held fish of around the same size but bait such as pilchard fillet were more desired.

Wurdee Boluc
Wurdee Boluc was productive for Azi Osmic and Jean Osmic last week were the guys took a 1.5kgRainbow trout on pink power bait. The pair also mentioned Azi had some success a few weeks earlier landing a brown trout of 2.2kg on a mudeye suspended under a float.

St Augustine
Just on our door step St Augustine was a hot spot for kids chasing the yearling sized rainbow troutrecently liberated for school holidays. A little different was some redfin caught from St Augustine by those seeking trout casting small spinners.

Next Week
Next week those needing a snapper fix should find Clifton Springs worthwhile with any tide change coinciding with dawn or dusk prime is sure to be prime time. With the recent activity from Bullen Merriit could be worth the drive to bank a Chinook Salmon or two.